Batman Begins
by Katrina Castillo
Summary: After the League departs, Castle is ready to fight criminals in New York - he becomes the Batman. It doesn't take long for trouble to start: a bounty is put on his head, the NYPD doesn't trust him, Selina Kyle is making his life difficult, someone plans to destroy the city... And Castle will face an enemy he never thought possible. (Part two of the 'Knight of the Castle' series)
1. Prologue

**It's here! The sequel to ****_Knight's Birth_**** is here!**

**I'm honestly touched by all the support you guys have given this series so far, it really makes me so happy! And, after a month, here we are again, on Fanfiction, prepared to read about Bat-Castle's journey. Are you guys ready for this? Eh, for all I know, you've skipped this Author's Note to start reading the story. But that's ok, I understand.**

**But let's get some background information! First of all, if ****_haven't_**** read ****_Knight's Birth_****, I STRONGLY suggest you head to my profile to do so. It is pretty critical for this story. Ok? Good. Secondly, this story takes place in 2006, which is a month after ****_Knight's Birth_**** and about three years before season 1 of Castle.**

**Here is the FULL summary:**

_With the departure of the League, Castle is ready to stare evil in the eye and fight criminals in New York. He becomes a symbol - the Batman. It doesn't take long for him to make some enemies - a bounty is placed on his head by an unknown criminal, the NYPD certainly don't trust him, and the saucy Selina Kyle seems bent on making his life miserable. On top of all that, a plot seems to be brewing in the city - a plot to destroy it. Teaming up with Captain Roy Montgomery of the NYPD, the Batman faces an enemy Castle never thought possible. (Part two of the Knight of the Castle series.)_

**So, without further ado, I now present to you...**

_**BATMAN BEGINS**_

* * *

**December 24, 2005**

The O'Malley family. An organized crime ring, Irish in heritage, that grown tremendously the past couple of years. Rumors were circulating of how the Boss was sick and dying; there were also rumors about who would take over after the Boss kicked the bucket.

Ra's al Ghul's resources found out who the heir was.

A lone figure stood on a rooftop opposite the mob's warehouse, where Scott would undoubtedly show up to help with a new shipment they had coming in. There were already two men there, unloading a white van, joking and laughing with each other. Strange to see with criminals, during such an 'important' job.

The soft sound of a car approaching caught the figure's attention. Scott had arrived. He greeted the other two, beginning to help them with the work. He was the sole target. The way the League and, more importantly, Ra's al Ghul saw it, once the O'Malley boss died, and with Scott out of the picture, there'd be no leadership. And a mob without leadership tended to fall apart, either into smaller groups cops could easily catch or completely.

Beginning his descent from the rooftop, the figure kept a close eye on the three men, now able to hear them better.

"-things going with you and Siobhan?"

"Really Bobby? Come on, we're working here!"

"Aw, come on Fenton! Just tell me _something-_"

Scott interrupted them. "Boys, can we please get back to work? We can talk about O'Connell's love life later."

There was silence for a moment, then the sound of footsteps began again.

He reached the breaker easily enough, waiting for a moment at least two of them were inside so he could take them out. Of course, when the warehouse's lights went out, their guard went out. As expected, they had guns, but to him it would be no problem. When one of them came to check the breaker - it was either Bobby or Fenton, he didn't know and wasn't too concerned - he grabbed them from behind, cutting off their respiration until they passed out.

'_One down, two to go._'

He was patient, and careful. One wrong move, and he'd be shot in a hail of bullets. Smiling to himself at the intended joke, he worked his way around the warehouse to his next vantage point. In walked Scott, which meant the third guy had gone outside and was now alone. Moving quickly, he got out and snuck up behind the guy, smashing his head against the van.

All that was left was Scott.

A disturbed shout notified him that Scott had found the first 'victim.' Hurried footsteps told him to get out of sight, fast.

* * *

Scott looked around carefully. Fenton was unconscious inside, he didn't know how or why. With a hint of fear, he saw Bobby S laying on the ground by the van. Scott was relieved to find a pulse - if whoever was doing this wasn't killing them, then maybe-

Seeing a shadow, Scott turned and fired quickly. But there was no one there. Damn, this was supposed to be a simple night! The regular shipment of heroin they got every week, with _no problems_. Looking at his unconscious 'co-worker', Scott figured it was safe to say that they had a problem.

* * *

Scott was too freaked to pay much attention to him approaching.

* * *

All Scott saw before being knocked unconscious was a man dressed in black.

* * *

**Ok, there you go! The prologue for _Batman Begins. _A bit short? Yes. And I am sorry about that, but it didn't fit in right with the next chapter's content. In my opinion at least. This chapter is about one written page long, front and back - future chapters are about 4-6, pages front and back. So all other chapters will be MUCH longer, don't worry.**

**So, Castle is working with the League; the next chapter will go into more detail about it. And ****I'm sure you can spot the cameo in this chapter. **

**I'll have a cast list posted up on the KOTC website in the next few days, along with a sneak peak for the next chapter. I think I'll be doing a sneak peak every week between chapters (maybe Monday or Tuesday), how does that sound? If you like that idea, let me know. And if you want to check out said website, it's at **kotcverse . BlogSpot . com** (just remove the spaces).**

**So, what are your thoughts? Excited? Intrigued? Tell me!**

**See you all next Thursday!**

**Katrina**


	2. 1 - Targets and Allies

**Hey guys! I'm so happy at your response to the story - it makes me giddy inside. ^_^**

**So, here is Chapter One of _Batman Begins_. The cape and cowl are in the near future!**

* * *

_**December 20, 2005**_

_The envelope had no return address on it, which first caught his attention. It was a regular sized envelope, but when he opened it, there was only a piece of paper inside, along with a key. A piece of paper with a P.O. Box address written on it._

_He tracked down the box that same day, finding it in Grand Central Station. Inside was a much larger envelope. It was only when he returned home and was sure of his privacy that he opened the package. Inside was a few pictures of the same man, a rap sheet, and listed information about him. There was also another sheet of printer paper, but it was blank._

_Well, that made no sense. Luckily for him, he had a keen ability to think outside of the box. Searching for a black light, he grinned when the message appeared._

**_Scott O'Ryan. Will take control of the Irish mob soon_**

**_Ensure he is stopped._**

_The letter wasn't signed, but he could tell who it was from._

_Looking at Scott's rap sheet, he could see why he had to be stopped. Assault, robbery, murder charges that were mysteriously dropped, along with dropped rape charges. And from what he knew of the Irish mob, they worked with drug and weapons trafficking._

_Knocking the mob down would help keep some of that poison out of the city..._

* * *

**Present Day**

**December 30, 2005**

Richard Castle walked out of his room, the smell of eggs and bacon calling his name. With a fond smile, he saw his mother and daught cooking breakfast together, talking contently. He remained silent and simply watched them; they didn't notice him as he was practically invisible. They had mornings like this more often the past month, where they'd simply be a family.

The tree was still decorated from Christmas - that had been an interesting day, he mused. In fact, the whole house was extravagantly decorated. This... this was good. This was perfect.

"Morning ladies," he finally greeted, smiling at them.

"Morning dad!" Alexis greeted, letting him kiss her forehead. When she shifted off to set the table, Martha stood by Castle.

"You were in the news this morning," she whispered. When her son looked at her with wide and innocent eyes, she scoffed. "Richard Castle, please, do you honestly think I can't tell when you're going out on a 'job'?"

Castle shrugged, grabbing a piece of toast. "What'd they say?"

"That an unknown third party dropped Scott O'Ryan off at a police station with enough evidence to lo him up for good, she relied. "Some say you're a Good Samaritan, others call you a whack job." Castle winced jokingly.

"That's harsh," he chuckled, but eventually sobered down. "So he's going down?" Martha nodded, and a grim look came onto Castle's face. "Good."

"What about that cop you were telling me about?" Martha wondered.

"Talking to him tonight, now that I have some 'credibility,'" Castle said. "I'll take care of what the League sends my way, work with Montgomery, and put some criminals in jail."

Martha shook her head. "I'm still not comfortable with it Richard," she admitted quietly. "But... I trust you. Just be careful, alright?"

Castle smiled, giving Martha a one-armed hug. "I promise."

* * *

It was late at the Twelfth precinct, and Captain Roy Montgomery was ready to head home. Most, if not all, of his detectives and officers had left for the night, leaving the bullpen virtually empty. Rubbing his eyes, Montgomery felt fatigue settle in. The latest case had been tough on his newest detective, Detective Beckett. With half of their cops on some mobster's payroll, it had been hard to solve this newest homicide. But Roy had faith she'd pull through.

He went to stand, so he could leave, but the sudden loss of light in his office stopped him. Eyes narrowed, he immediately grew suspicious as the lights in the bullpen were still on. There was a click, then the feel of hard and cold steel on the back of his neck.

A gun.

"Don't move," came the warning. Montgomery stiffened even further.

"What do you want" he asked, his mind going to his pregnant wife and two-year-old daughter. Behind him, Castle was dressed in his League attire, holding a stapler to Montgomery's back, ensuring the man wouldn't turn/

"I've been watching you," he said simply, his voice disguised. "You're a good cop. One of the few." This did nothing to clue the captain in, so Castle went straight to business. "Carmine Falcone," he said, speaking of another man the League told him to take care of. "He brings in weekly shipments of drugs, but nobody takes him down. Why?"

"He's paid up with the right people," Montgomery answered, and Castle detected the hint of bitterness in the man's voice.

"What would it take?" he pressed.

Montgomery paused, considering his next words carefully. "Leverage on Judge Phelan. And a D.A. brave enough to prosecute."

"Harvey Dent," Castle answered, having already done his research into Dent earlier.

There was silence, until Roy shifted. "Who are you?" he shifted.

"Watch for my sign," Castle responded, slipping away.

"You're one man," Montgomery scoffed, still not moving. Castle smirked under his balaclava.

"Now, we're two."

Another pause. "_We?_" Montgomery repeated.

The lights flickered back on, and Montgomery saw he was alone. No open doors, no open windows, everything was in order.

What just happened here?

* * *

Finally reaching the rooftop, Castle ripped the balaclava from his head. Well... that was a bit exhausting. Sure, he had climbed up and down rooftops before, but none this tall. And never under pressure of being discover - it was always when no one knew he was there.

Trekking his way back home, he began thinking to himself. There had to be an easier way to do this; his whole shutting off the lights trick had been prepared in advance (a feat in itself), and now as he ran on rooftops, he had to be supremely careful not to fall to his death. And if there were ever a time he came under fire, what would he do? Just say _'sorry, my League suit didn't come bulletproof?'_

No, Castle needed better equipment. An upgrade of sorts.

And he knew exactly where to look.

* * *

**And there you have it! Trust me, the chapters will be getting longer.**

**Short author's notes today I know. School has started and I'm pressed for time.**

**As always, please let me know what you think!**

**Katrina**


	3. 2 - Foxes and Bats

**Hello everyone! Here's Chapter 2 of _Batman Begins_! Sorry for the 2 week absence, school takes up a lot of one's time. :( But to make it up to you all, here is the LONGEST chapter in the ENTIRE series (so far)! Here's where we start picking things up and moving along.**

**So, to recap; Castle is working with the League, has been bringing in criminals anonymously, has met Captain Montgomery, and now knows that he needs better equipment.**

**Disclaimer: Do you really think that Nolan would be involved with _Castle_? Or that Andrew Marlowe would ever portray Castle as the Dark Knight? If they did, they wouldn't be here on Fanfiction, that's for sure!**

* * *

**January 3, 2006**

The CIA was as busy as Castle remembered it. The last time he had been to their New York offices was years ago.. after his father moved from the MIA list to the KIA list. While they essentially left Martha and Richard alone, they made sure the family knew that the CIA would always be available to help them out. That was the reason Castle was able to do research for his Derrick Storm books five years ago.

Now, he was here under the pretense of more research, but in reality he was hoping to scope out their inventory. Castle knew he had to be careful though - after all, this was the CIA.

After to speaking to the regional director, Castle was cleared to head on over to the Applied Sciences division, in order to 'research' some technology for his Derrick Storm books.

It was a warehouse of sorts, and seemed to be lacking in staff. Castle wandered around for a bit, seeing crates and lab equipment, but no people. "Hello?" he eventually called out. Turning a corner, he finally saw a life form - a dark-skinned man who smiled at him.

"Mr. Castle, is it?" He stood from his desk, offering his hand. "I was told you'd be coming down here."

Castle shook his hand. "Nice to meet you, Mr.?"

"Fox. Lucius Fox." He motioned for Castle to follow him. "Welcome to Applied Sciences. Environmental applications, defense projects, consumer products... all prototypes. Not on production, at any level."

Castle was intrigued. "None?" he repeated. "Is it just you down here?"

Fox smiled again. "Not too many people want to head down here - call it a 'Dead End'. If you wanted to see the shiny toys, you'd have to go Tech and Mechanics." He stopped and looked at Castle. "What did your father tell you about this place?"

If the writer was taken aback at the random mention of his dad, he didn't show it. Instead, he shrugged. "He never really told me much when it came to the CIA," he stated truthfully. "What with everything being classified and all."

Fox nodded. "Why don't I show you around?"

"Did you know my father?" Castle asked after a moment. Fox didn't stop walking as they conversed.

"Very well," was the response. "We worked together."

"In the field?" Castle questioned; he couldn't see Fox as a gun-wielding, butt kicking spy.

Fox laughed, as if sensing Castle's thoughts and agreeing with them. "No, Mr. Castle. Here, in this very lab." He didn't notice Castle's falter in movement. "Half the things you see in here were designed and built by your father." Castle stared after Lucius for a moment, unable to believe it. Eyes wandered over nearby equipment, mind realizing that his dad touched and built it. He found himself moving after Fox once more, his brain still blurred at the fact. "Besides being one of the best agents the CIA had seen in a long time, he was also a brilliant man when it came to technology."

"I...I didn't know that," Castle admitted. Fox looked at him reassuringly.

"Most people didn't."

They stopped in front of a heavy duty drawer. Fox slid it open, and Castle's was instantly impressed - it suddenly felt like Christmas. "Kevlar-utility harness. Gas-powered magnetic grapple gun, with a 350 pound test monofilament." As Fox walked on, Castle lingered for a few seconds, eyeing everything and taking in a mental inventory.

Seconds later, and a short distance away, Fox was showing Castle even more 'toys.' "Nomec survival suit for advanced infantry. Kevlar by-wave, with reinforced joints."

"Tear resistant?" Castle questioned.

"This sucker will stop a knife," Fox nodded.

"Bulletproof?"

"Anything but a straight shot."

"You built all this?" Castle asked after a moment, still not quite able to wrap his mind around the story Fox gave him.

"With your father, yes," Fox answered, shutting the drawer shut.

Castle's brow furrowed. "Why didn't they put any of it into production?"

"The CIA figured an agent, or a soldier, wasn't worth 300 grand," Fox shrugged. "So they buried the projects, and the division. Completely uninterested." Castle nodded slowly in understanding. "So..." Fox began, eyeing Castle closely, "What's _your_ interest in it, Mr. Castle?"

The writer looked up, a bit startled and more than taken aback. "I'm sorry?"

The older man chuckled. "I've read your books Mr. Castle," he said. "You need about as much research as I need a haircut." Castle looked at the man's short hair, knowing Fox wasn't buying the story.

"I was wondering if I could borrow it," he said truthfully. "For, uh, cave-diving."

Fox didn't narrow his eyes, he didn't judge. But Castle could see a hint of concern on the man's features. "You plan to run into much gunfire in these caves?" he questioned. There was something about the man, something that made it hard to lie to him, so Castle remained silent. After a moment, Fox nodded. "I've got no use for any of it, to be honest."

Castle looked up at him in surprise, but nodded in gratitude. "Look, Mr. Fox," he said, "I'd rather the CIA... not know about this-"

"Mr. Castle," Fox cut off, "The CIA has made clear their opinion of it, and it's all just collecting dust in here. Not to mention that your father built and designed about half of what's in here." He clapped a hand on Castle's shoulder. "The way I see it... all of this is yours."

* * *

Getting something to blackmail the judge was considerably easy. Phelan wasn't exactly discrete with his illegal activities. With a decent disguise, he followed the 'honorable' judge to the seedy part of the Upper West Side, and snapped a few pictures of him picking up a prostitute.

Piece of cake.

* * *

Across town, Harvey Dent walked to his car, ready to go home and get some rest. It had been a long day, and tomorrow would only be longer. Ever since becoming the Assistant District Attorney, his work had become his life, even though the crime rates were unchanged. It was something he didn't like, but learned to deal with. Can't change the world on your own, after all.

When he reached his car, Dent noticed a package taped to the windshield. With confusion, he ripped the package off and opened it, eyes widening tremendously upon seeing its contents. "What the hell-"

"Leverage," a voice graveled. Dent spun around in surprise, seeing a silhouette of a man in the shadows.

"What is this?" Dent demanded, lifting the file. "Who are you"

"Like I said; it's leverage. To get things moving," the man said. Dent looked from him back to the file. The pictures were clearly of Judge Phelan, and he was clearly hiring a prostitute.

Looking back up, Dent saw the man was gone. No sign of him anywhere. Uncertain, he looked back down at the pictures.

Harvey Dent had a feeling that things were about to get very, very interesting.

* * *

One thing about the loft that caught Castle's attention was the emergency escape route it had. He had just released his first Derrick Storm book, and was caught up in the spy world - it fascinated him. When Castle was searching for a new place to live, he managed to narrow it down between a penthouse and the loft. Both were exactly what he was looking for, and in his price range.

Then he found the hidden room.

In the office/study, one of the bookshelves moved to reveal a flight of stairs. And at the bottom was an industrial (yet dark) room - a bunker of sorts. The real estate agent said it had an emergency exit and was an extra-luxurious panic room, so to speak.

Castle was sold.

But he never used it. He got wrapped up in moving in, then writing his next Derrick Storm book, then Alexis was born. It sort of floated to the back of his mind. Until no. With all the equipment he was getting from Lucius Fox, he couldn't leave it all laying around. He needed a secure place to store it all.

So here he was, with a flashlight, ready to explore the hidden room. He remembered which 'book' opened the passageway - it was the only book that wasn't his on the shelf, as it was really just a lever disguised as a book. Pulling on it, he smiled to himself when the shelf slide aside. He turned the flashlight on and began his descent down the stairs. There were more stairs than he remembered - it was also darker than he remembered.

Reaching the bottom, finally, he swung the light around a bit to give him a clearer view of the room. But it was still so dark in here...

A soft fluttering caught his attention. Looking up, and moving the light in the same direction, he blinked in surprise upon seeing bats on the ceiling. The lights must have irritated the animals, because they suddenly flew about, screeching. None came near him, but Castle stared up at them, awestruck at how they moved chaotically, yet seemingly as one.

Then they were gone.

'_Probably the other exit,_' Castle mused to himself. He moved around, searching till he finally found a switch. Flipping it, the room lit up and Castle whistled to himself. It was a lot bigger than he remembered.

He smiled as he turned the flashlight off and surveyed the room. This would work just fine.

His own batcave.

'_Bats...'_ Castle thought to himself. '_Hmm...'_

* * *

"Richard?" Martha called out about six hours later. Castle didn't look up from his work.

"In here, mother!"

Martha was a bit confused when she reached the bottom. She had known about the secret room, but as far as she knew, it was never used. Looking around, she saw it was fairly clean, so Richard must have done some work in here at some point...

Finally, she looked at him. "What's going on?" she asked. There was a table with piles of equipment on it, and her son seemed very focused on a belt of sorts. He looked up, hints of his childish mannerisms appearing.

"Welcome to my lair."

"Your lair?" she scoffed. "Richard Castle, honestly, aren't you taking things a bit too far?"

Castle paused, considering this. "No," he said simply, causing Martha to chuckle. She went over to him, looking at his work.

"New supplies?" she wondered.

"New suit too," he said. "Bulletproof one."

Martha took note of a sketch he had laying out, of a symbol resembling a bat. "Bats?" Castle looked at her, noticing her curious expression. "Why bats?"

A look of seriousness came onto the writer's face as he looked back at the objects covering the table. He rubbed his face for a moment, letting out a sigh. Finally, he turned back to his mother. "Dad built all of this," he admitted. Martha let out a soft gasp, tinted with disbelief and marked with surprise. She looked back at the items on the table, and touched them lightly, needing to feel that piece of her husband. She let out a shuddering breath, then motioned for Castle to continue.

"Bats symbolize death and rebirth," he began once more. "The death part... I want to honor Dad's memory, by using what he built, to do good." Martha nodded her silent agreement, unknowingly causing her son to sigh in relief. He continued, "Rebirth... well, that's more for me. You said it yourself mother, I'm a different person now. A new person. I've been 'reborn', so to speak." He nodded in affirmation. "A bat symbolizes this. And, hopefully, it can be a symbol of hope for a dying city... To prove that it can have a fresh start, and be great again."

Martha smiled at her son; he truly did have a way with words. "Well then," she said, "we'd better get to work."

* * *

**And that is chapter 2! So a few notes/explanations!**

**1. SEASON 5 SPOILER! Yes, Castle's father is CIA. Just like in the show.**

**2. Since Bruce Wayne is non-existent in this universe, there is no Wayne Enterprises. So where else would a man like Lucius Fox go to work? Certainly not Queen Industries! ;)**

**3. Harvey Dent does get an earlier role in Batman's development in _Knight of the Castle_ as opposed to the Nolan verse.**

**4. The Batcave is modeled after the one from _The Dark Knight_. Not an actual cave, but it will be Bat!Castle's base of operation throughout the series. And I'm fairly certain that there are bats in New York City; considering that Castle has left the bunker untouched for over 5 years, it's not far-fetched to think that bats would make their home in that dark place.**

**5. In Nolan's _Batman Begins_, Bruce chooses a bat as his symbol because he's afraid of bats and wants to share that fear with criminals. In my _Batman Begins,_ it's not so. When it comes to Richard Castle, it's always about the story. Seeing the bats made him think about bats, and researched them... it seems like something he would do. And since bats really do resemble death and rebirth, it seems like a valid reason for him to call himself Batman (as he explains in the story). This was actually one of my biggest concerns when beginning the series: Why would Castle call himself Batman? As he's said on the show, "it's always about the story."**

**6. I portray Martha to be supportive to a certain degree. She worries about her son, and doesn't want him to get hurt. But now that she sees how serious he is about this, and the thought he's put into it, she'll be a lot more supportive of his alter-ego.**

**I'm thinking of moving _Batman Begins_ to being posted on Saturdays instead of Thursdays... I wish Fanfiction had a scheduled posting system or something like that... If you ever see me miss a day, don't worry! I am fully committed to this story and this series. I have put too much effort into planning it, writing it, and thinking of it to push it aside. _Batman Begins_ will be completed (but there are MANY chapters to go for that one), then we will have _The Dark Knight_ and _The Dark Knight Rises_ and many (completely original) stories in between all of those. Like I said, I've planned this extensively. **

_**Knight of the Castle **_**will NOT be abandoned!**

**See ya next Thursday!**

**Katrina**


	4. 3 - Batman Begins

**And here's chapter 3 of ****_Batman Begins_****, which is also titled Batman Begins. You know what that means! Bat!Castle is finally here!**

**The Deserter - ****_Knight of the Castle_**** will include the following: ****_Batman Begins, The Dark Knight, _****and ****_The Dark Knight Rises _****(all rewritten and modified). There will also be multiple episodes of Castle written in a 'Batman perspective', plus an original full length story. There is a slight possibility for a JLA story and a collection of villain stories. That's all I have planned for now, there may be more added as time goes one. So, this series will not end for a long time. And I'm being completely serious. :)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Nolan's _Batman Begins, _Marlowe's _Castle_, or _Arkham Origins_.**

* * *

Detective Esposito from the 54th Precinct studied the crime scene. Well, what they were told was a crime scene. A robbery, apparently. But there was no sign of forced entry, no fibers or prints, and the safe (that was supposedly robbed) was shut. Esposito had wanted to pack up and leave a while ago, but the homeowner was insisting his files had been stolen. He placed the files inside the safe on Wednesday night, didn't touch them all Thursday, and now on Friday morning they were gone.

What Esposito didn't understand was why the files, and not the wads of cash or expensive jewelry? The valuables sat untouched in the safe, making it appear as if the robber overlooked them entirely.

"Mr. Bartley, does anyone besides you have access to this room?" he asked the wealthy homeowner. The grey haired man nodded, pointing to the dark haired woman across the room.

"My housekeeper, but she doesn't know the code," Bartley said. "Had the day off yesterday too."

"And what were in those files?" Esposito questioned.

"Nothing special, really. Blueprints to my office building - we're renovating you see, and the contractor wanted me to have my own copy of the place."

Esposito nodded. "Alright, thank you Mr. Bartley." He knew Bartley wasn't telling him everything - something _had_ to be valuable in those papers - but a robbery was a robbery. He had to investigate it. Moving to the housekeeper, he began questioning her as well.

"Did you see anything out of the ordinary?"

"Well, yesterday was my day off, and on Wednesday... everything seemed fine," she answered.

"Nothing moved around, nothing out of place?" Esposito asked again. She shook her head. "And where were you yesterday?"

"Hanging with some friends, all day," she replied. Esposito nodded, taking to final notes.

"I'm sorry, I didn't get your name?"

She smiled. "Selina Kyle."

Esposito nodded once more. "Alright, thank you for your cooperation Miss Kyle."

"Of course."

The detective never noticed her victorious grin. She'd alibi out, due to a very nice payoff. And even if there were any traces of her DNA, it would be disregarded - after all, she was the housekeeper.

Yes, Selina Kyle was in the clear, with those precious files hidden in her apartment.

* * *

There was a reason that criminals operated at night. The darkness hid their activities, shadows disguising their every move. If they moved in broad daylight, they could be seen. The night was their time to thrive.

At least, until now..

* * *

In the more secluded, slightly abandoned area of New York's Harbor, Carmine Falcone's men were gathering up a shipment of drugs. A pair of thugs were finishing up one of the containers, when an echoing cry was heard. They stared at each other before abandoning their post, drawing their guns as they rushed towards the sound.

They came upon a discarded package, laying there unopened. But no sign of anyone. It was unusually silent too.

Nodding to each other, the two thugs split up, each checking the opposite direction of each other. The first one of them was calm, remaining completely alert. The other wasn't as calm, but kept a good front. The first thug came across a partner of theirs, but received no greeting. The third man was simply standing up.

"What are you looking at-"

His words died in his throat when he looked up as well. There was a thing, some giant black thing, hanging above them. It almost look like a-

It suddenly dropped down, its wings unfolding and engulfing the third thug into the darkness. Without another thought, the first thug turned and ran they way he came. He had no idea _what_ just happened. And he had no desire of finding out.

Finally, he found the second thug and raced towards him so they could get out of there. He was feet away when blackness swooped down and took him away, making him scream.

The second thug's jaw dropped as fear filled him.

The scream drew the other thug's attention. Grabbing their guns, they went off to investigate; something was very _very_ wrong.

Thug Number 2 was no longer hiding his fear behind a façade. Whatever was happening was bad; three guys were missing, and he had no back-up. Hearing a rattle, he fired warning shots. Then there was a quick-moving shadow; first feet in front of him, then yards to his side. More shots echoed in the dock. He was officially freaked out, and alone, and this was not going to end well. "WHERE ARE YOU?!" he screamed.

"Here."

And then there was black.

One of the thugs rushed to Falcone's car, sticking their head in. "There's a bit of a situation.

Falcone eyed him suspiciously. "What kind of situation?" he demanded. The thug swallowed and shook his head.

"You need to get out of here.

The thugs that were left had remained together. Whatever, or whoever, was here was picking their guys off, one by one. Tougher chance of doing that if they all stuck together. They had their backs to each other, forming a circle, guns pointed out. No way anyone could sneak up on them now.

They never counted for their enemy to drop down into the _middle_ of the circle.

It was a flurry of fists, knives, feet, screams, and a lot of black.

Then it was still.

All the thugs were down on the ground, unconscious or well on their way. Alone, a tall figure stood in the center of the fallen men, staring down at them. It carefully walked over them, fading into the shadows.

Falcone was on the phone, still in his parked car. "I don't know what's going on, someone's compromising the shipment!"

_"He won't be too happy about that."_

"Well, no kidding Sherlock!" Falcone snarled. "I'll call you back later, I'm getting out of here." A click indicated the other person had hung up. "Let's go," Falcone ordered. When nothing happened, his eyes narrowed. Looking closely at his driver, he saw the man was unconscious. "Dammit."

He grabbed his gun, making sure it was loaded. There was something out there, and Falcone was actually terrified.

"What the hell are you?" he whispered, not really expecting an answer.

The sunroof of his car suddenly shattered, a hand reaching into the car and grabbing Falcone. The mobster was pulled out of his car through the roof window, held tightly by the black figure, cold eyes frightening Falcone.

"I'm Batman."

* * *

Roy Montgomery was called to the scene less than an hour later, and needless to say, he was surprised.

"Falcone's men?" an officer wondered. Captain Montgomery looked at the tied-up thugs, who were unconscious by the container that had yet to be unloaded. He shrugged, a sigh escaping him.

"Doesn't matter - he'll never be tied to I, anyway."

"Uh... sir? I wouldn't be too sure about that..."

Montgomery looked at officer, who was pointing up. Following his gaze, the Captain's eyes widened. On a harbor light was Carmine Falcone, who was unconscious and strapped to it with his arms spread. His coat was shredded, leaving a silhouette in the night sky. "What is it?" an officer questioned.

Montgomery remained silent, staring. "Looks like..."

They all scrutinized the shadow in the clouds.

"It looks like a bat."

Sure enough, that's what it was in the sky - a bat symbol. Montgomery's brows furrowed, then he shook his head. "Cut him down."

As the officers went to do as told, Montgomery walked around, glancing at the sign curiously. He had seen a lot of things during his career, but none as strange as this. He reached an area that CSU hadn't swept yet, and spotted something. A silver piece of metal, laying on the ground. Upon further investigation, Montgomery saw that it too was in the shape of a bat.

Why were bats suddenly popping up everywhere?

Out of the corner of his eye, Montgomery saw movement. Looking up and over, he saw it. Standing on the edge of a low rooftop, watching the scene below.

Batman looked at Montgomery, nodding briefly before disappearing into the shadows.

It didn't take long for Montgomery to realize that... _thing_... was the man who had snuck into his office a few nights ago. _Watch for my sign_, he had said. Clearly, his 'sign' was a bat symbol, which made his question the man's sanity. And besides...

Who in their right mind would wear a cape?

* * *

Harvey Dent walked straight to his boss, Mr. Finch, with purpose. He slammed down a newspaper, with the front page showing Falcone tied to the light. "We can finally nail the bastard," Dent said. "We have witness, prints, everything. Falcone won't walk."

Finch rubbed his eyes. "Judge Phelan will let him."

At this, Dent smirked. "Let me handle the judge."

Still, Finch wasn't convinced. "What about this... _bat_... Falcone's men keep going on about?"

There was silence and Dent shifted, but he regained his composure. "Even if this guy _was_ around and beat the crap out of those guys, he won't matter in Falcone's case." He looked Finch in the eye. "We can take him down."

Finch looked at the paper, then up at Dent. He smiled. "Let's nail the bastard," he agreed.

* * *

Mayor Robert Wilde stood before multiple NYPD Captains, Sergeants, and Lieutenants, angrily speaking. "This is _unacceptable_," he declared, pointing to the front page of a newspaper. "I don't care who's responsible or what their motive is; just get them off the streets and off the front page!" He paused for a moment, rubbing his head. "People are saying it was just one guy... that should make it a lot easier for you all to find him, _right_?"

Montgomery was present in the room, and he slowly raised his hand. Weldon nodded, giving him the floor. "Mayor Weldon... this guy, whoever he is, _did_ just hand us one of this city's biggest crime lords."

Weldon didn't share Montgomery's sentiments. "No one takes the law into their own hands. Not in my city."

* * *

It took a lot to worry Roman Sionis. He faced drug dealers, gun traffickers, and trigger-happy pimps on a daily basis - along with surviving the legal business world. A man of his status and position didn't get there by cowering away from danger and submitting to opposition. No, Roman was a man without fear.

Until that freak took Carmine Falcone.

Falcone had always been well protected, physically and when it came to his crimes. No one got close enough to harm him, and no evidence had ever stuck to the man. And now, this do-gooder comes along with evidence to lock Falcone up? Not only was Roman losing a business partner and a _lot_ of money, he was now at risk of having his own criminal activities exposed. And, for the icing on the cake, this 'hero' was going around and fighting crime.

What kind of a name was 'Batman', anyways?

Something had to be done. The Batman had to be stopped; if he wasn't, they'd all end up broke or in jail. And neither sounded too appealing. But Roman Sionis was nothing if not creative. He knew _exactly_ how to handle that Batman...

* * *

Later that night, Roman's words were travelling all throughout the criminal underground in a frenzy.

_"This city has a problem... Some freak who thinks he's a hero."_

Word travelled fast about this Batman-guy. He had taken down Carmine Falcone after going through ten guys, although some said it was twenty. What caught everyone's attention, however, was the fact that he didn't go after Falcone for money or power. Instead, he gave Falcone to the police with enough evidence to look him away for good. And that was scarier than any takeover could ever be.

_"Luckily, there ain't a problem in the world that can't be solved with a little bit of money... We all win - one of you walks away with **fifty million** dollars. And the rest... well..._

_"We get rid of the Batman."_

* * *

**And there's chapter 3! Now that Bat!Castle is here, the plot will move along a bit quicker.**

**The idea of a bounty of Batman's head was inspired by the game Batman: Arkham Origins, which comes out in 14 days! (EEK!) And Roman Sionis' speech about the bounty was taken from a trailer for the game. Just clarifying that.**

**Thank you all for your kind reviews for Chapter 2! Would you be so kind as to review Chapter 3? :)**

**Bat!Castle forever!**

**Katrina**


	5. 4 - Storm's Coming

**Hey everyone! Here's chapter four of****_ Batman Begins_**** from the ****_Knight of the Castle_**** series! Now, if I didn't say this before, Selina Kyle is played by Olivia Wilde in my series. I think Anne Hathaway did a decent Selina Kyle in _The Dark Knight Rises_, but I feel like Olivia could pull it off even better.**

**Disclaimer: I don't own _Castle,_ Nolan's _Batman Begins_, or _Arkham Origins_.**

* * *

The sudden burst of light caused Castle to groan in discomfort. Squinting, he looked to see Martha in the room, opening all the curtains. He himself was sprawled out on his bed and the sudden awakening was not helping his mood any. Groggily, he pushed himself further into the bed.

"Mother, bats are nocturnal," he whined. Martha pulled the covers off of him, earning an unhappy 'Hey!' from her son.

"Bats, yes. Best-selling novelists? No," she said. "But I suppose that's what happens when you lead a double life."

Not giving up, Castle turned to the other side of the bed, his back now to Martha. "Can we talk about this in the afternoon?" he pleaded.

"Richard, it's 2 o'clock!"

At this, Castle's eyes snapped open and he turned his head to look at his mother, eyes wide. She nodded, signifying that she was _not_ joking. Castle grumbled as he got out of bed. "If I fall asleep on the job tonight, it's all you fault," he stated, shuffling to the bathroom. In the room, Martha merely shook her head with a roll of her eyes.

When Castle finally made it to the kitchen, Martha already had the newspaper laid out for him on the island. "Your theatrics made quite the impression on the press," she commented as he looked at it.

"Theatricality and deception are powerful agents," Castle said in response, quoting Ducard. He finally looked up from the paper. "It's a start."

"Paula called," Martha said after a few moments of silence. "There's a gala she wants you to attend tonight."

Castle looked at her. "And you told her that I couldn't make it, right?"

"Well..."

"Mother, I can't go to a gala - I think fighting criminals is a little more important than that."

"You've been absent from the public eye lately, kiddo," Martha stated. "People are starting to wonder what exactly Richard Castle does with his time. And his money."

"So... you're saying I should be the playboy jackass the press thinks I am?" Castle asked in confusion.

"_Pretend_ to be the 'playboy jackass,'" Martha countered dramatically. "Theatricality and deception, right?"

Castle considered this for a moment, then nodded his agreement. "Alright, I see your point.. So, date lots of women, buy stuff I don't need... I can do that."

* * *

It hadn't taken much effort, but Castle managed to get a few big name authors over for a poker game. He had to be a millionaire playboy writer, might as well start within his own industry. Stephen J. Cannell, Michael Connelly, James Patterson, J.K. Rowling, and Steven King... all in his loft. Paula and Gina were thrilled with his connecting with other authors and hosting such an 'A-List' event. Honestly, Castle was just lucky that Rowling and King happened to be in the city this week.

"So, you enjoy visiting the States?" Patterson asked Rowling, dealing the cards that night. The Brit smiled.

"Oh, I love New York," she said, her accent strong. "And it's been even more interesting these past few days."

"You're talking about that Batman, aren't you?" King said.

"Ugh, here we go," Connelly complained. "I can't escape the topic! My wife keeps going on and on about him!"

Connell shrugged. "I for one like the guy," he admitted. "It's good to see someone doing something for once around this city."

"You can't take the law into your own hands," Connelly countered.

Rowling interrupted here, "But at least he's getting something done."

Connelly rolled his eyes. "Castle, come on, help me out here," he said.

Castle looked up from his cards, a slight smile on his face. "A guy who dresses up like a bat... clearly has some issues," he joked, folding. Connelly nodded his agreement, as did Patterson.

"But he put that mobster behind bars," Rowling said.

King snorted. "And now the cops want _him_ behind bars too.

"What does that tell you?" Patterson continued.

Rowling smirked as she played her hand, winning. "That they're jealous."

Castle smiled at Rowling as Patterson, King, and Connelly groaned, losing their money to the British woman.

* * *

Roy Montgomery looked at his pregnant wife, smiling fondly as she tried feeding their two-year-old daughter (without success). A chuckle escaped him when the baby knocked the bowl of food to the floor. Evelyn Montgomery looked from Rebecca to her husband.

"Yes, yes. Very funny, right? So you won't mind cleaning it up?"

Roy did as told, still laughing at their daughter's antics and his wife's frustration. He kissed his wife as he stood up, moving to take the trash out. He shivered a bit as he stood outside; the chilly air was a bit of a shock compared to the warmth in his home.

"Storm's coming."

Montgomery turned at the gravelly voice, seeing the Batman crouched on a fire escape. "Mayor Weldon set up a task force to find you - all officers are ordered to arrest you on sight," he said, eyeing the masked man warily.

"If they can catch me," Batman spoke. "What's the word on Falcone?"

"His lawyer is having him plead insanity," Montgomery sighed. "If he pays off the psychologist..."

"Who is he?"

Montgomery shrugged. "That's not information I'm privileged too." He looked away. "There was something up with the drugs though. Falcone trafficks in heroin and cocaine... But there was a third substance; smaller in supply, but a good amount. The labs are testing them, but... it's been hard to identify them."

"It hasn't been on the streets?"

"No."

"So he's bringing in product for something else then," Batman said, Montgomery nodding in agreement. "What's the NYPD doing about it?"

The captain paused, unsure exactly what he should tell this guy. Going with his gut, he spoke up. "Keeping it quiet, for now. Until we know exactly _what_ that stuff is, there isn't much we can do about it." The Batman nodded, moving to leave. "The NYPD thinks you're dangerous," Montgomery said, looking at him.

Batman glance at him. "What do you think?"

Once more, Montgomery looked away, uncertain. "I think you're just trying to help." When he turned back, he saw the Batman was gone, with no trace of ever being there. Rubbing his eyes, he thought back to the night with Raglan and McCallister, when he was a rookie...

"But I've been wrong before," he whispered to himself.

* * *

There was a robbery in Midtown, a jewelry store by the looks of it. The burglar had done a decent and clean job - until they triggered the silent alarm. First responders said they saw a woman fleeing the scene, but when they went to pursue her, she was gone. This matched at least 13 other robberies all over Manhattan from the past year - the only difference was that the silent alarm had never been set off before.

Standing on a rooftop across the street from the jewelry store, Selina Kyle watched the scene below. Normally after a job, she'd flee the scene right away, before the cops even got there. She never stuck around and she _never _set the alarm. But tonight was different; it wasn't about the jewels and gold - although they were a nice bonus. Tonight, Selina Kyle had a different target. One with a much better payoff.

"Returning to the scene of the crime is an admission of guilt," a voice said behind her. Selina jumped slightly in surprise, but kept her cool.

"Not if I never left," she purred, turning to face him. She paused, looking at him. "Well, I see why they call you 'Batman', but isn't the cape a bit much?"

Batman wasn't amused. "I can't let you take the jewels," he said simply. Selina rolled her eyes, scoffing.

"Sorry to disappoint you handsome, but the jewels? Not why I'm here." She smirked as she saw her words catching his attention. Without warning, she struck, aiming a high kick at him. He avoided it with a simple dodge; he matched her blow for blow, hit for hit. The two fought, undeterred, when Selina suddenly took him by surprise. She did a backflip away from him, the tip of her boot's heel connecting with his jaw. Batman stumbled back more in shock than in pain, surprised to feel the warmth of blood on his chin.

"Oh. He bleeds," Selina commented from her crouched position, smirking at him. "Good."

She charged at him again, much more vicious this time. Her heels continued trying to connect with his throat, as if wanting to slit it. When she aimed another roundhouse kick at him, Batman swept her one leg out from under her. Selina fell down painfully, her back slamming on the rooftop. With the wind knocked out of her, Selina took in deep gasping breaths as she stared up at him. "Ow," she moaned.

"You want to kill me," Batman stated. Selina shrugged a bit as she pushed herself up shakily, confirming his thoughts. "Why?"

A laugh escaped her as she smiled wickedly at him. "I can give you fifty million reasons why, handsome," she teased. At this, Batman tensed in surprise, her words not lost on him. "There's a bounty on your head; dead. Fifty million dollar reward." She shrugged in fake concern. "You're going to have a lot of assassination attempts on your hands... I suggest you watch your back."

Batman wasn't fully convinced of her motives. "Why are you telling me this?"

"Because if I don't warn you, someone will kill you," she said. "And if anyone is getting that bounty, it'll be me." The sudden sound of voices caught their attention, and it dawned on them that their encounter probably caught the attention of the nearby police. It wasn't like they were on a particulary tall building. '_Damn... should've thought of that_,' Selina thought. When she turned back around, her eyes widened upon seeing that the Batman was already gone. '_What the hell?_'

Not having anytime to contemplate it, Selina leaped onto the next rooftop, disappearing from sight just as a pair of officers arrived on the roof from the stairwell. On a higher rooftop across the street, Batman watched her disappear into the shadows. If what she was telling him was true, then he had more problems on his hands than low-life thugs. This woman was clearly trained, and any other possible assassin that had a chance to kill him would be well trained.

Regardless, he had a feeling that he'd be seeing her again, very soon.

* * *

**And there's chapter four! Chapter Five will feature a new enemy who has ties to the League of Shadows, and the arrival of Scarecrow! Also, Alexis is bound to find out her dad's secret sooner rather than later... Hmm...**

**Thanks for reading! Reviews are welcome and appreciated!**

**Katrina Castillo**


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